U.S. patent application number 15/956196 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-23 for shielding element for a connector and housing assembly having protruding cutting portions.
This patent application is currently assigned to TE Connectivity Germany GmbH. The applicant listed for this patent is TE Connectivity Germany GmbH. Invention is credited to Wolfgang Balles, Dominik Kasper, Walter Sanger, Joachim Toboldt, Stefan Wallner.
Application Number | 20180241158 15/956196 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57178430 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180241158 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sanger; Walter ; et
al. |
August 23, 2018 |
Shielding Element For A Connector And Housing Assembly Having
Protruding Cutting Portions
Abstract
A shielding element for a connector comprises a sheet-shaped
section, a passageway formed in the sheet-shaped section, and a
contacting tab disposed at the passageway. The contacting tab
protrudes from the sheet-shaped section and has a sharp cutting
edge at a free end of the contacting tab.
Inventors: |
Sanger; Walter; (Furth,
DE) ; Balles; Wolfgang; (Mannheim, DE) ;
Toboldt; Joachim; (Furth, DE) ; Kasper; Dominik;
(Dudenhofen, DE) ; Wallner; Stefan; (Moerlenbach,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TE Connectivity Germany GmbH |
Bensheim |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
TE Connectivity Germany
GmbH
Bensheim
DE
|
Family ID: |
57178430 |
Appl. No.: |
15/956196 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2016/075377 |
Oct 21, 2016 |
|
|
|
15956196 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/6596 20130101;
H01R 4/26 20130101; H01R 13/426 20130101; H01R 13/6585 20130101;
H01R 13/6598 20130101; H01R 13/6582 20130101; H01R 4/62
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01R 13/6598 20060101
H01R013/6598; H01R 13/6585 20060101 H01R013/6585; H01R 13/6596
20060101 H01R013/6596; H01R 4/26 20060101 H01R004/26; H01R 4/62
20060101 H01R004/62 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 22, 2015 |
DE |
10 2015 220 661.0 |
Claims
1. A shielding element for a connector, comprising: a sheet-shaped
section; a passageway formed in the sheet-shaped section; and a
contacting tab disposed at the passageway, the contacting tab
protruding from the sheet-shaped section and having a sharp cutting
edge at a free end of the contacting tab.
2. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
passageways are disposed on a cylinder shell surface.
3. The shielding element of claim 2, wherein the sharp cutting edge
protrudes radially outward from the cylinder shell surface.
4. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
passageways are disposed in a plane.
5. The shielding element of claim 4, wherein the sharp cutting edge
protrudes from the plane.
6. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
contacting tabs are disposed around the passageway.
7. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein the passageway has an
elongated shape and a pair of contacting tabs are disposed on
opposite longitudinal sides of the passageway.
8. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein a pair of adjacent
cutting edges of the contacting tab form a cutting corner.
9. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein the cutting edge has a
plurality of cutting jags.
10. The shielding element of claim 1, further comprising a main
section forming an enclosed ring shape.
11. The shielding element of claim 10, wherein the sheet-shaped
section protrudes from the main section in a direction orthogonal
to the main section.
12. The shielding element of claim 11, wherein the shielding
element is monolithically formed in a single piece from metal
sheet.
13. The shielding element of claim 1, wherein the sheet-shaped
section is configured to contact a counter-element.
14. A housing assembly, comprising: a shielding element including a
sheet-shaped section, a passageway formed in the sheet-shaped
section, and a contacting tab disposed at the passageway, the
contacting tab protruding from the sheet-shaped section and having
a sharp cutting edge at a free end of the contacting tab; and a
counter-element contacting the sheet-shaped section of the
shielding element.
15. The housing assembly of claim 14, wherein the counter-element
is made of aluminum.
16. The housing assembly of claim 15, wherein the sharp cutting
edge penetrates an aluminum oxide layer and contacts and underlying
aluminum layer of the counter-element.
17. The housing assembly of claim 14, further comprising a mounting
element configured to move the shielding element into contact with
the counter-element.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of PCT International
Application No. PCT/EP2016/075377 filed on Oct. 21, 2016, which
claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to German Patent
Application No. 102015220661.0, filed on Oct. 22, 2015.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a connector and, more
particularly, to a shielding element of a connector.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In known connectors, a contact or a shielding element of the
connector often contacts a counter-element. When the
counter-element is made from aluminum, oxide layers are formed on
the surface of the aluminum. The oxide layers can impair the
electrical connection between the shielding element and the
counter-element.
[0004] In existing solutions, a sufficient contact resistance
between the shielding element and the counter-element is generated
primarily by large contact forces required to connect the shielding
element and the counter-element. Such a configuration requires the
shielding element and the counter-element to be robust and very
stable during mating.
SUMMARY
[0005] A shielding element for a connector comprises a sheet-shaped
section, a passageway formed in the sheet-shaped section, and a
contacting tab disposed at the passageway. The contacting tab
protrudes from the sheet-shaped section and has a sharp cutting
edge at a free end of the contacting tab.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The invention will now be described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying Figures, of which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shielding element
according to an embodiment;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a plurality of
shielding elements with a counter-element;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the shielding elements and
counter-element of FIG. 2 in an assembled state;
[0010] FIG. 4A is a schematic perspective view of a contacting tab
of the shielding element according to an embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 4B is a schematic perspective view of a contacting tab
of the shielding element according to another embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 4C is a schematic perspective view of a contacting tab
of the shielding element according to another embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 4D is a schematic perspective view of a contacting tab
of the shielding element according to another embodiment; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a shielding element
according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)
[0015] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached
drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different
forms and should not be construed as being limited to the
embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are
provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and
complete and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to
those skilled in the art.
[0016] A shielding element 1 according to an embodiment is shown in
FIG. 1. The shielding element 1 is configured to contact a
counter-element 13 made from aluminum.
[0017] The shielding element 1 has several sheet-shaped sections 2,
with several passageways 3 being formed in each of the sheet-shaped
sections 2. The sheet-shaped sections 2 protrude from a main
section 18 which is closed in a ring shape and which provides
shielding. The passageways 3 are situated in a plane 8 such that
the shielding element 1 can contact a planar surface of the
counter-element 13. At each passageway 3 there is at least one
contacting tab 4 disposed around the passageway 3 which protrudes
from the shielding element 1. In an embodiment, the shielding
element 1 acts as electromagnetic shielding. The sheet-shaped
section 2 is situated outside the main section 18 so as not to
impair the shielding effect.
[0018] In an embodiment, the shielding element 1 can be
manufactured in a single piece by embossing and stamping a metal
sheet. In other embodiments, the shielding element 1 can be
manufactured by bending, cutting, and/or welding.
[0019] The shielding element 1 is shown with the counter-element 13
and a retaining element 16 in FIGS. 2 and 3. Mounting elements 14
in the form of screws are guided through the retaining element 16,
mounting openings 15 of the shielding element 1, and mounting
openings 17 on the counter-element 13. The mounting elements 14
move the shielding element 1 along a contact direction K onto the
counter-element 13 into an assembled state shown in FIG. 3. In
another embodiment, the mounting element 14 may be rivets.
[0020] The contacting tab 4, as shown in the various embodiments of
FIGS. 4A-4D, has a protruding sharp cutting edge 6 at a free end 5.
It is possible to easily penetrate aluminum oxide layers present on
the counter-element 13 due to the sharp cutting edges 6 such that,
even with little exertion of force, secure contacting of an
underlying aluminum layer is possible with a low transition
resistance. No large forces are required in this case and the
shielding element 1 and counter-element 13 therefore do not have to
be configured in such a stable manner, saving on manufacturing
costs. The contacting tabs 4 with the sharp cutting edges 6 are
arranged along an entire periphery such that uniform contacting
takes place.
[0021] In the embodiment of FIG. 4A, four contacting tabs 4
protrude into the passageway 3. Each contacting tab 4 has two sharp
cutting edges 6 which are adjacent and taper towards one another to
form a cutting corner 10. The cutting corner 10 has an angle of
approximately 90.degree.. The four contact tabs 4 delimit the
passageway 3 which is approximately cross-shaped or star-shaped in
this embodiment.
[0022] The embodiment of FIG. 4B has an elongated passageway 3, at
the longitudinal sides 9 of which two contacting tabs 4 are
disposed opposite one another. The contacting tabs 4 each have, at
their free ends 5, a protruding sharp cutting edge 6.
[0023] There are three contacting tabs 4 in the embodiment of FIG.
4C. The remaining passageway 3 is star-shaped and adjacent cutting
edges 6 of each contacting tab 4 form a cutting corner 10.
[0024] The embodiment of FIG. 4D has a plurality of cutting jags 11
at the cutting edges 6. Similar to the cutting corners 10, the
cutting jags 11 can penetrate through the oxide layer more easily
and can remove the oxide layer with a saw-type movement. The
cutting jags 11 are positioned on the contacting tabs 4 at the
longitudinal sides 9 of the elongated passageway 3
[0025] A shielding element 1 according to another embodiment is
shown in FIG. 5. Like reference numbers refer to like elements with
respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4D.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 5, the passageways 3 are situated in
sheet-shaped sections 2 and are arranged on a cylinder shell
surface 7 in order to contact a corresponding cylinder shell-shaped
counter surface. The sheet-shaped sections 2 protrude from an
annular main section 18 which acts as electromagnetic shielding.
Contacting tabs 4 are situated at the passageways 3. The contact
tabs 4 have protruding sharp cutting edges 6 at the free ends 5.
The sharp cutting edges 6 in this case protrude radially outwards.
In another embodiment, they protrude radially inwards, for instance
if it is desired to contact a correspondingly configured
counter-element.
[0027] Two contacting tabs 4 respectively at each passageway 3
extend in opposite directions relative to a periphery as shown in
FIG. 5 such that, when the shielding element 1 moves in the
peripheral direction, one contacting tab 4 extends runs in the
direction of movement and the other contacting tab 4 extends
against the direction of movement. As a result, at least one
contacting tab 4 in each case can break through an oxide layer. Due
to the cutting edges 6 extending in a longitudinal direction L, a
movement in the longitudinal direction L also leads to a
penetration of the oxide layers.
* * * * *